2. Such argument Paul now confutes. He says: It is not the intention
of the Gospel to teach sin or to allow it; it teaches the very
opposite--how we may escape from sin and from the awful wrath of God
which it incurs. Escape is not effected by any doings of our own, but
by the fact that God, out of pure grace, forgives us our sins for his
Son's sake; for God finds in us nothing but sin and condemnation. How
then can this doctrine give occasion or permission to sin when it is
so diametrically opposed to it and teaches how it is to be blotted
out and put away?
3. Paul does not teach that grace is acquired through sin, nor that
sin brings grace; he says quite the opposite--that "the wrath of God
is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness
of men," Rom 1, 18. But because the sins of men which are taken away
are so grievous and numerous, the grace which drowns and destroys
them must be mighty and abundant also. Where there is great thirst, a
great draft is needed to quench it. Where there is a mighty
conflagration, powerful streams of water are necessary to extinguish
it. In cases of severe illness, strong medicine is essential to a
cure. But these facts do not give us authority to say: Let us
cheerfully drink to satiety that we may become more thirsty for good
wine; or, Let us injure ourselves and make ourselves ill that
medicine may do us more good. Still less does it follow that we may
heap up and multiply sins for the purpose of receiving more abundant
grace. Grace is opposed to sin and destroys it; how then should it
strengthen or increase it?
4. Therefore he begins his sermon by inquiring, in this sixth chapter
(verses 1-3): "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that
grace may abound? God forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any
longer live therein?" In other words: How is it possible that because
grace should destroy sin ye should live unto sin? And then, further
to illustrate this, he says:
"Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into his death?"
5. He speaks here in figurative language to clearly and forcibly
impress this matter upon us; ordinarily it would have been sufficient
for him to ask: "We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live
therein?" that is to say, Inasmuch as ye have been saved from sin
through grace, it is not possible that grace should command you to
continue in sin, for it is the business of grace to destroy sin. Now,
in the figurative words above quoted, he wishes to vividly remind us
what Christ has bestowed upon us. He would say to us: Do but call to
mind why you are Christians--you have been baptized into Christ. Do
you know why and whereunto you have been baptized, and what it
signifies that you have been baptized with water? The meaning is that
not only have you there been washed and cleansed in soul through the
forgiveness of sins, but your flesh and blood have been condemned,
given over unto death, to be drowned, and your life on earth to be a
daily dying unto sin. For your baptism is simply an overwhelming by
grace--a gracious overwhelming--whereby sin in you is drowned; so may
you remain subjects of grace and not be destroyed by the wrath of God
because of your sin. Therefore, if you let yourself be baptized, you
give yourself over to gracious drowning and merciful slaying at the
hands of your God, and say to him: Drown and overwhelm me, dear Lord,
for gladly would I henceforth, with thy Son, be dead to sin, that I
may, with him, also live through grace.